Water seepage abatement in water heaters

ABSTRACT

A cover assembly for a water heater includes a cover, one or more openings formed in the cover and one or more raised features surrounding at least one of the one or more openings. The one or more raised features are formed such that a liquid near the at least one of the one or more openings is diverted away from the at least one of the one or more openings.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisionalapplication Ser. No. 13/571850, filed on Aug. 10, 2012, entitled “WaterSeepage Abatement in Water Heaters,” which claims priority to the U.S.Provisional Application identified as Ser. No. 61/524,418, filed on Aug.17, 2011, entitled “Condenser, Shroud, Foam Dam and Drip Plate for WaterHeater,” the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to water heaters, and moreparticularly to cover assemblies for preventing water seepage into awater heater.

Water heaters including heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are typicallycovered with a shroud. The shroud covers a top portion of the waterheater, which may include covering elements of a water heater such as anevaporator, a compressor, control circuitry, inlet and outlet pipes,etc. Shrouds may also include a filter.

The shroud serves several functions including, but not limited to,protection of elements of the water heater, structural support andornamental functions. Shrouds are often expensive to manufacture and arenot optimized for use on HPWHs.

Existing shrouds are known to allow water to seep into foam whichsurrounds the water tank. Such water may ultimately contact the tank,the condenser, the wrapper (around the foam and tank) and the bottomcover of the water heater. Such water seepage can cause corrosion and/orheat loss. Sources of water include, but are not limited to,inlet/outlet port connection leaks, external sources of water above thewater heater such as a plumbing leak, an inlet/outlet extension pipeconnection at the tank or other tank leak, and condensate from anevaporator which escapes a condensate collection tray. There is also arisk of wetting the foam surrounding the tank of the water heater duringmaintenance performed on the water heater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As described herein, the exemplary embodiments of the present inventionovercome one or more disadvantages known in the art.

In one embodiment, a water heater system comprises a water heater, acover, a shroud and at least one ring. The water heater comprises atank, a layer of foam surrounding the tank and a wrapper surrounding thelayer of foam. The cover is positioned on a top edge of the waterheater. The shroud is positioned over the cover. The at least one ringis positioned around at least one of an inlet port and an outlet port ofthe water heater. The cover, shroud and at least one ring are operativeto prevent a liquid from coming into contact with at least one of thelayer of foam surrounding the tank and one or more components covered bythe shroud.

In another embodiment, a shroud assembly for a water heater comprises afirst part and a second part. The first and second parts join togetheralong a seam such that the first and the second part form a hollowcylinder. The shroud assembly couples to a first portion of the waterheater, and the seam is positioned near an axis of a center of an inletport and an outlet port of the water heater. The first part of theshroud assembly comprises an opening for a controller of the waterheater. At least one of the first part and the second part of the shroudassembly comprises an opening for the inlet port and the outlet port.

In yet another embodiment, a method comprises aligning a first part of ashroud with a corresponding first portion of a water heater, mating afirst set of one or more slots or tabs formed on the first part of theshroud with a corresponding first set of slots or tabs formed in thefirst portion of the water heater, securing the first part of the shroudto a rigid structure of the water heater with a first set of one or morefasteners, aligning a second part of the shroud with the first part ofthe shroud and a second portion of the water heater, mating a second setof one or more slots or tabs formed on the second part of the shroudwith a corresponding second set of slots or tabs formed on the firstpart of the shroud, securing a top edge of the second part of the shroudwith a top edge of the first part of the shroud along a seam with asecond set of one or more fasteners, and securing the second part of theshroud to the second portion of the water heater with a third set of oneor more fasteners.

In yet another embodiment, a cover assembly for a water heater comprisesone or more openings and one or more raised features surrounding atleast one of the one or more openings. The one or more raised featuresare formed such that a liquid near the at least one opening is divertedaway from the at least one opening.

In yet another embodiment a sealing ring surrounding a port comprises abase ring of with an inner edge forming a first opening, an interiorsidewall sloping upwards from an outer edge of the base ring, an angledsurface sloping downwards from a top edge of the interior sidewall, abase wall extending downwards from a bottom edge of the angled surface,a lip formed on the inner edge of the base ring forming a secondopening, and a channel formed in a portion of the angled surface and theinterior sidewall. The second opening is smaller than the first opening.The second opening is configured to mate with an outer surface of aconnection to the port.

In yet another embodiment, a drip shield comprises a back plate and abase plate having a first end integrally formed with the back plate. Theback plate couples to a first portion of a heating element port. Thefirst portion of the heating element port projects out of a tank of awater heater. The base plate is positioned such that the base plate isbelow the first portion of the heating element port.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention prevent water or otherliquids from coming into contact with foam and corrosion-prone materialssurrounding a water heater.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood,however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes ofillustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, forwhich reference should be made to the appended claims. Moreover, thedrawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and, unless otherwiseindicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate thestructures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a HPWH having a tank that is capped by ashroud, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the HPWH of FIG. 1 showing theshroud and elements of the HPWH underneath in more detail;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first (or front) half of the shroud ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is perspective view of a top portion of the water heater of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of assembling a shroud of awater heater, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of installing a controller of a waterheater, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a top of a water heater shroud showing asealing ring, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a top of a water heater shroud showing asealing ring, according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sealing ring of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing ring of FIG. 9, takenalong line A-A;

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a water heater top cover having oneor more raised surfaces around one or more openings formed in the topcover, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a drip shield, according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the drip shield of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective front view of a drip shield, according toanother embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view, taken along line B-B, of thedrip shield of FIG. 14 installed on a water heater.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One or more of the embodiments of the invention will be described belowin the context of an exemplary HPWH. However, it is to be understoodthat the embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limitedsolely to the HPWHs described herein. Rather, embodiments of theinvention may be applied to and deployed in other suitable environmentsin which it would be desirable to reduce the manufacturing costs and/orimprove the performance of water heaters.

As will be explained in detail herein, one or more illustrativeembodiments of the invention provide a low cost metal shroud configuredfor use with a water heater. For example, one embodiment of the improvedshroud includes the following: (a) top inlet/outlet ports; (b) frontfacing control; (c) airflow path—in through top, out through rear(allows room for front facing control) or in through front (either sideof front-facing control), out through rear; and (d) a filter locationfor top-through-rear flow path, as well as for front-through-rear path.This filter location can be either located in a top of the shroud,directly in front of an evaporator, or in front of unit air inlets.Additionally, the improved shroud provides the following: (a) ease ofassembly and service; (b) proper appearance (minimum and even gaps); and(c) satisfaction of structural requirements.

One or more illustrative embodiments of the invention also provideabatement from water (or any other liquid) seepage which, as mentionedabove, could wet the foam that surrounds the water tank and/or couldcause corrosion of the tank, the condenser and/or the bottom cover ofthe tank. For example, in one illustrative embodiment, a first set ofplastic (polymeric or flexible rubber) rings seal on extensionpipes/ports and act to prevent water from dripping down an extensionpipe into the tank foam below. The rings are either sloped from an innerdiameter to an outer diameter so as to shed water onto the top of thewater heater shroud, or shaped to direct spilled water to a preferredlocation. In another illustrative embodiment, a second set of plastic(polymeric or flexible rubber) rings seal on a tank inlet/outlet port,and act to prevent water from following the extension pipe into the tankfoam. Since very little, if any, water should make it past the first setof seal rings, this second set of seals should experience very littlewater.

Further, it is realized that any condensate water that escapes acondensate tray (not shown), or any water that spills/sprays above thewater heater assembly, will fall to the top cover of the water heater.Thus, in yet another illustrative embodiment, the top cover is designedwith raised surfaces around all openings, such that water that dripsonto the top cover will not pass through holes into the foam. In oneexample implementation, water that puddles sufficiently to run off thetop cover can be directed outside of the water heater, as a notificationto a homeowner or maintenance personnel that a water leak needsattention.

Still further, an illustrative embodiment of the invention provides adrip shield. The drip shield is a part that can be positioned under aheating element port of a water heater to prevent water from drippinginto the foam during regular maintenance of the heating element.

We now turn to a detailed description of one or more of the variousembodiments mentioned above in the context of FIGS. 1-15.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a water heater 100having a tank 102 that is capped by a shroud 110. The water heater 100may be a HPWH. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the waterheater 100 showing the shroud 110 and elements of the water heater 100underneath it in more detail. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first(or front) part 111 of the shroud 110. FIG. 4 is another perspectiveview of the water heater 100 of FIG. 2.

Shroud 110 provides several specific functions including an electricalenclosure or cabinet function to prevent access of electrical wiring orterminations, supports user interface controls, airflow channeling(i.e., providing inlet and outlet air openings), structural support suchthat the HPWH can withstand normal forces encountered during handling,installation and use, and appearance/decorative functions. Shroud 110 isdesigned to allow for easy assembly and removal, both for manufacturingand service of the HPWH.

Shroud 110 is a metal shroud with top inlet and outlet ports, placed ina location similar to those of existing water heaters. The metal shroudadvantageously provides a front facing control as well as optimalairflow path and filter location. The airflow path may be in through thetop, out through the rear to allow room for the front facing control, ormay be in through the front on either or both sides of the front facingcontrol and out through the rear. The filter location for thetop-through-rear and front-through-rear airflow paths can be located inthe top of the unit, directly in front of the evaporator, or in front ofunit air inlets.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of the shroud 110 has a firstpart 111 and a corresponding second (or rear) part 112, which jointogether along seam 140 using one or more tabs and/or fasteners. Theseam 140 may continue from the sides and across the top of the shroud110, and may follow proximate the inlet/outlet ports so that one or bothsubassemblies (or parts) 111, 112 of the shroud 110 can be fully removedafter installation, without disconnecting any plumbing. In someembodiments, the seam 140 is positioned near the line connecting theoutlet port 104 and inlet port 106 of the water heater 100. The one ormore fasteners may fit through one or more holes formed along thecentral edges and/or tabs of the first part 111 and the second part 112.In one embodiment, the fasteners are screws. In another embodiment, thefasteners may be spring clips or a combination of screws and springclips. When the two parts (or subassemblies) 111 and 112 are joinedtogether, they form a hollow cylinder having one end open. This endcouples with the wrapper 124 and/or the insulating foam of the waterheater. The first part 111 has an opening 120 formed therein and isconfigured to allow access to a controller 108, which presents a userinterface, comprised of one or more input devices (such as buttons),computer readable instructions stored in a memory device and executed bythe controller (which may comprise one or more physical and/or virtualprocessors), and/or an output device (such as a display device and/orindicators).

The shroud 110 further includes an opening (or openings) through whichthe hot water outlet 104 and the cold water inlet 106 fit. A filter 122may be disposed at any suitable location of the shroud 110. In oneembodiment, the filter 122 is positioned on a top surface of the firstpart 111 of the shroud 110, and has a generally hemispherical shape. Thefilter 122 may be removable from the shroud 110. FIG. 1 also shows thefirst set of seals 700 fitted around the extension ports of hot wateroutlet 104 and cold water inlet 106.

As shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the shroud 110 may have a vent 115formed therein. In one embodiment, the vent 115 is formed in the secondpart 112. The second part 112 has one or more tabs 114 along its centraltop edge, and/or one or more tabs 113 disposed along its central sideedges. The tabs 113 have one or more slots 117 formed therein. Theseslots 117 are configured to engage one or more corresponding taperedtabs 118 that project from the first part 111. Insertion of the taperedtabs 118 (FIG. 3) into the slots 117, draws the two parts 111 and 112together. An evaporator assembly 130 (and/or the controller 108 (FIG.1)) may be housed within the shroud 110.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first part 111 of the shroud 110 may have one ormore tabs 116 formed along its central side edges providing columnarstrength. The tabs 113 of the second part 112 and the tabs 116 of thefirst part 111 are configured to mate with each other to providevertical structural support to the shroud 110.

As further shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the shroud 110 has an airflow paththat flows in the top of the shroud 110 through the filter 122 and outthrough the venting 115 at the rear. This permits placement of thecontroller 108 at the front of the water heater 100. Alternatively, theshroud 110 may have an airflow path that flows in the front of theshroud 110 on either side of the controller 108 and out through theventing 115 in the second (rear) part 112.

The first part 111 of the shroud 110 is preferably not tethered by thecontroller 108 (meaning the first part 111 of the shroud can be removedwithout being tied to the controller 108, or the controller 108 can beeasily detached from the first part 111). In an embodiment, thecontroller 108 can be serviced without removing the shroud 110. In anembodiment, the second part 112 of the shroud 110 can be assembled orremoved by a person (or robot) positioned in front of the water heater.This is made possible by at least one or more features. First, there areno rear-facing screws connecting the second part 112 to the water heater100. Second, the tab 113 of the second part 112 can be secured to thetop cover 160 by one or more tabs 150. As illustratively shown in FIGS.2 and 4, the tab(s) 150 may be integrally formed with the top cover 160.Alternatively, the tab(s) 150 can be L-shaped, with a portion thatslides within a slot formed in the top cover 160. In any case, a portionof the tab(s) 150 can be positioned substantially parallel with the sidetab 113 of the second part 113. A fastener, such as a screw or snap-fitmember, etc., can be used to couple the tab(s) 150 to the side tab(s)117. Third, the top of the second part 112 can be removably coupled withthe evaporator assembly or other structural members within the waterheater assembly such as the outlet/inlet extension pipes 104/106. In oneembodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, one or more front-facing screwsto pull the rear second part 112 tight against the top cover 160, andone or more screws passing through the side of the shroud 110 and into aportion of the water heater wrapper 124 provide final alignment andstrength. FIG. 4 also shows one of the second set of sealing rings 750around one of inlet/outlet ports on the top cover. The second set ofsealing rings 750 prevent any water which passes through the first setof rings as well as any water which originates from a source below thefirst set of rings from wetting the tank foam.

Gaps between the two parts 111 and 112 can be minimized using thevertical side joints (e.g., tabs 115 and 116), which are made to be facejoints (e.g., about a 90 degree bend on the vertical contact edge). Asmentioned above, the tapered tab(s) 118 close the gap between the firstpart 111 and the second part 112. An appearance ring (not shown) may beused to cover all joints around the perimeter at the top of the shroud110.

One or more structural features of the shroud can carry compressive loadthrough the shroud into the tank/foam assembly. Vertical side-seams with90-degree bend on a leading edge to give vertical column strength carryvertical load from the top of shroud into the water heater top cover 160and/or tank/foam assembly. The first part 111 and the second part 112are configured to carry load from their top portions into evaporatorbrackets or inlet/outlet extension pipes to the water heater top cover160 (also called “mid-top cover”). A Z-bend feature along inlet/outletseam is built into the first part 111 and second part 112 for addedsupport. Columnar design of outlet vents brings vertical load bearing.Shorter vents allows for more columns. Rear tabs 150 that engage rearshroud 112 to the top cover 160, and all screws in the front 180 degreesof the first part 111 and second part 112 carry vertical loads into thetop cover 160 and tank/foam assembly. In addition, an I-beam feature maybe built into the first part 111 and second part 112 along a seamconnecting the inlet and outlet ports for added support.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method 500 of assembling the shroud110 of FIGS. 1-4. Referring to FIGS. 1-5, the method 500 includespositioning 502 the second part 112 of the shroud 110 on a correspondingportion of the top of the water heater 100. The method 500 furtherincludes mating 504 slots 117 or tabs 113 formed on the second part 112of the shroud 110 into corresponding tabs or slots 150 formed on or in aportion of the water heater 100. The method 500 also includes securing506 the second part 112 of the shroud 110 to a rigid structure (e.g.,the evaporator of the water heater 100 and/or to one of the cold wateror hot water pipes) with one or more fasteners. Further, the method 500includes pulling 508 the second part 112 tight against a portion of thewater heater 100 (e.g., making the second part 112 concentric with thewater heater body) by driving and/or tightening one or more additionalfasteners through a corresponding number of holes formed in the secondpart 112, which one or more additional fasteners may engagecorresponding structures of the water heater 100, such as one or moretabs 150 formed about mid-top cover. The method 500 further includesdriving 510 one or more side-accessible fasteners through the secondpart 112 to connect the second part 112 to the water heater tank/foamassembly or body.

The method 500 also includes aligning 512 the first part 111 with thesecond part 112 via the tabs 118. As mentioned above, the tabs 118 mayhave a tapered configuration that draws the first part 111 and thesecond part 112 together. The method 500 further includes installing 514fasteners along a top central edge of the first part to connect thefirst part 111 to the second part 112. Lastly, the method 500 includesdriving 516 one or more side-accessible fasteners through the first part111 to connect the first part 111 to the water heater body.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method 600 of installing the controller 108of FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the method 600 beginsby aligning 602 the controller 108 with an opening 120 formed in thefirst part 111 of the shroud 110. The method 600 further includespressing 604 the controller 108 until one or more snap features (ortab/slots) positioned at a first (upper) portion of the controller 108engage at least one of the first part 111 and a portion of the waterheater 100. Further, the method 600 includes securing 606 a second(lower) portion of the controller 108 to at least one of the first part111 and another portion of the water heater 100. In one embodiment, thelength(s) of wire that are coupled with the controller 108 allow thecontroller 108 to be unfastened and rotated as a hinge-like door, togain access to the rear side of the controller 108 for service, and/orfully detached from the first part 111. Of course, the controller 108can be positioned and secured using tabs/slots, snap features,fasteners, etc., that are located at or on other areas of thecontroller.

The shroud 110 above has been described as having two parts 111 and 112that are coupled together using tabs 118, slots 117 and fasteners, butother embodiments are possible and contemplated. For example, a hingemay connect the first part 111 and the second part 112 along one side.In such an embodiment, the first part 111 and the second part 112 areopened and placed on the top cover 160. The first part 111 and thesecond part 112 are then brought together and pulled concentric to thetop cover 160 and/or the wrapper 124 using a latch, which can beunfastened.

As mentioned above, it is realized that in existing water heaters, watermay pass through a shroud covering a water heater and through the topcover of the water heater and into the foam surrounding the tank of thewater heater. Water may ultimately come into contact with the tank, thecondenser, the wrapper and the bottom cover of the water heater. Waterpassing into the foam can lead to corrosion of the condenser, the tank,the wrapper and the bottom cover. It also may lead to increased heatloss due to wet foam. There are various sources of water which may passthrough the top cover of the water heater, including inlet/outlet portconnection leaks due to an installation or manufacturing defect, anexternal source above the water heater, a manufacturing defect of theinlet/outlet extension pipe connection at the tank, and condensate fromthe evaporator which escapes the condensate collection tray. Embodimentsof the invention provide techniques for overcoming these issues. Forexample, illustrative embodiments use sealing rings and/or an improvedtop cover.

Water seepage abatement techniques as described herein can also beapplied to external condensers surrounding a tank of a water heater,such as the steel condensers disclosed in the U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/571,726, entitled “Condenser for Water Heater,” which isfiled concurrently herewith and incorporated by reference herein. Sincesteel is susceptible to humidity and moisture conditions in water heaterenvironments, a foam layer is used to provide a barrier to such moistureand humidity. In illustrative embodiments, a layer of foam rangingbetween about a ½ inch and about 2 inches in thickness provides asufficient barrier. This layer of foam may be in addition to existingfoam which surrounds the tank and external condenser, and may be placedin positions on the tank where the risk of exposure to moisture andhumidity is greatest. Such positions can include ports of the waterheater, such as the heating element ports discussed below.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a top of a water heater shroud 110showing a pair of sealing rings 700 in a first arrangement. FIG. 8 is aperspective view of a top of a water heater shroud 110 showing sealingrings 700 in a second arrangement. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of oneof the sealing rings 700 of FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectionalview of one of the sealing rings 700 of FIGS. 7-9, taken along line A-A.Referring to FIGS. 7-9, the sealing ring 700 fits around a hot wateroutlet 104 and around a cold water inlet 106 that protrudes through theshroud 110. Each sealing ring 700 includes an annular outer base wall701, which has an angled surface 702. The annular angled surface 702slopes upward from the base wall 701 and then folds over to form theannular interior sidewall 714. The sidewall 714 then folds orthogonallyto form the annular base ring 712. The ring 712 has a first opening 708formed therein. A lip 716 is formed around the circumference of thefirst opening 708 and is configured to mate with an outer surface of apipe or tube, such as the hot water pipe 104 or the cold water pipe 106.The circumference of the sidewall 714 forms a larger second opening 710therein. The base wall 701 and the sidewall 714 can be separated by aspace 718. The annular sidewall 714 and angled surface 702 have achannel 706 formed there through.

In use, water falls onto the sealing ring 700 and is either divertedaway by the angled surface 702 or falls within moat 704. Water fallingin the moat 704 is prevented from slipping down the hot water outlet 104or the cold water inlet 106 by the base ring 712 and the lip 716 of thefirst opening 708. Additionally, water captured by the moat 704 isdiverted through the channel 706 to exit the sealing ring 700. Waterdiverted by the sealing ring 700 exits to any point on top of the shroud110, ultimately finding its way through and dripping on the top cover160. However, the configuration of the sealing ring 700 ensures that thewater does not make it back to the hot water outlet 104 or the coldwater inlet 106. In the arrangement of FIG. 7, the channel 706 ispositioned to direct water towards a path 740. In the arrangement ofFIG. 8, the channel 706 is positioned to direct water onto the shroud110. The shroud 110 may be sloped such that the water directed throughchannel 706 flows towards the edges of the shroud 710.

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a water heater topcover 160 having one or more raised surfaces 164 around one or moreholes (openings) 162 formed in the top cover 160. The raised surfaces164 ensure that water that slips under the sealing ring 700, if any,does not flow through the holes 162. Accordingly, use of the sealingrings 700 and/or the top cover 160 can keep the foam of the water heaterdry, thereby preventing heating efficiency from being reduced andpreventing corrosion. The sealing rings 700 and the raised surfaces 164ensure that water which puddles sufficiently to run off the top cover160 will be directed outside of the water heater. As such, it will bereadily apparent to the user of the water heater that there is a leak,and proper corrective action may be taken.

During maintenance of a heating element of a water heater, it isrealized that water may drip into the foam surrounding the heatingelement port. In addition, a leaking heating element port may drip waterinto the foam surrounding the heating element port during normaloperation of a water heater. Illustrative embodiments of the inventionprovide drip shields to prevent a heating element port from leaking ordripping water into the foam of the water heater, which as discussedabove can lead to various problems.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a drip shield 800 installed on aportion of a heating element port 191 that protrudes from a waterheater. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the drip shield 800of FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a perspective front view of another embodiment ofa drip shield 800′. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view, taken alongline B-B, of the drip shield 800′ of FIG. 14 installed on a waterheater.

The drip shield 800 includes a first member 820. The first member 820has a backplate 822. The backplate 822 has an opening 826 formedtherein. The opening 826 is sized to fit around a portion of a heatingelement port 191 that projects from the tank of the water heater. Theheating element port 191 may surround an upper heating element 192 ofthe water heater as shown in FIG. 15. The first member 820 also has abase plate 828. One end of the base plate 828 is integrally attached tothe back plate 822. The other end of the base plate 828 curves downwardsto form a lip 824. When the drip plate 800 is installed on a waterheater, at least the drip plate 800 may project through an openingformed in the metal wrapper of the water heater. In one embodiment, thedrip plate 800 is formed of plastic. The drip plate 800 may befriction-fit around the portion of the heating element port 191.Additionally, or alternatively, the drip plate 800 may be held in placeby a cap (not shown) that couples with a portion of the heating elementport 191.

Another embodiment of a drip shield 800′ is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Inthis embodiment, the drip shield 800′ may be formed of plastic and/ordielectric material. The back plate 822′ may be integrally formed with ariser 833′. The riser 833′ may be integrally formed with an upper plate830′. The upper plate 830′ may have one or more openings formed therein,and one or more tabs 832′ attached thereto. These tabs 832′ may couplewith corresponding slots on the thermal cut-off unit 834′, and/or maycouple with a bracket attached to the water tank.

Other techniques and apparatus may be used in conjunction with dripshields to prevent water seepage around a heating element port 191,including a foam dam as described in the U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/571,789, entitled “Foam Dam for Appliance,” which is filedconcurrently herewith and incorporated by reference herein.

As used herein, an element or function recited in the singular andproceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as notexcluding plural said elements or functions, unless such exclusion isexplicitly recited. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of theclaimed invention should not be interpreted as excluding the existenceof additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the inventionis defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur tothose skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be withinthe scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do notdiffer from the literal language of the claims, or if they includeequivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from theliteral languages of the claims.

Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawingsand not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may becombined with any or all of the other features in accordance with theinvention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” asused herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and arenot limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodimentsdisclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the onlypossible embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled inthe art and are within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover assembly for a water heater, comprising:a cover; one or more openings formed in the cover; and one or moreraised features surrounding at least one of the one or more openings,wherein the one or more raised features are formed such that a liquidnear the at least one of the one or more openings is diverted away fromthe at least one of the one or more openings.
 2. The cover assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the cover is sloped such that liquid forming near theat least one of the one or more openings is diverted off an edge of thecover.
 3. The cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover is positionedon a top edge of the water heater to encapsulate at least a first end ofa tank of the water heater, a foam layer surrounding the tank, and awrapper surrounding the foam layer.